So I’m wanting to make someone an end grain cutting board and then using the MultiCam to do an inlay. For the inlay, I really need a very dark wood (as close to black as possible). Since it’s a cutting board, it needs to be the right type of wood for a cutting board, food-safe, and hopefully not too expensive.
All I can think of is possibly black walnut. Anyone else have any suggestions that might work?
Ebony is pure black but very expensive. There are other exotics that are pretty dark, but not as dark as ebony. Once finished, black walnut has good contrast against most US native woods. Are you planning for the inlay to be endgrain as well? Sort of defeats the purpose of taking the extra time to build an endgrain board to have a side grain inlay. You would probably get uneven wear on the inlay as well if its not endgrain. Good luck!
Yeah…I was thinking about doing the inlay end grain also. Normally I love epoxy inlays, but that wouldn’t work well with a cutting board. lol This will be my 1st end grain cutting board too. Luckily, the inlay would be a big piece with not too much detail, so doing that end grain should be no issue.
Maple and Cherry endgrain with Black Walnut inlay would be really cool.
If you can find it - African blackwood is a good alternative. Traditionally used to make clarinets and such so pretty safe since the mouthpiece is in the mouth.
Use Peruvian walnut (nogal). Available with decent prices at Hardwood Lumber Company on Goodnight Lane. Nogal is often substituted for ebony and is way less expensive.
Walnut + ebonizing solution (iron acetate made from (excess) rusty steel wool and vinegar). It’s easy to make but takes some time for the reaction to complete.
The iron acetate reacts with the tannins in the walnut (which has LOTS) and blackens. Should turn close to black. Doesn’t work on wood with little tannin (like pine).
Cut wood to shape, wipe on the ebonizing, wait perhaps 1 minute, then rinse with baking soda and water to neutralize any potential vinegar remaining.
I used this on the oak frame of this 3D map. Walnut would end up even darker.
As an aside, this same solution is called “vinegaroon” with leatherworking and was traditionally used to permanently blacken leather.
Would you eat off of that map?
I’d eat off the ebonized wood. The 3D map is sprayed with polyurethane, so not that part 
I found an article outlining the process. He also adds additional tannins to the wood to enhance the darkening even more. Not sure this is necessary - your call. I’ve also heard of just using a strong black tea to add tannin to the wood.
DO NOT USE ACTUAL EBONY!!! It can actually be toxic, not enough to kill you, but it might make you sick. Same thing applies with rosewood
I’ve researched what is definitely a no-no when it comes to cutting boards because I know not ever wood is safe. Do we have anything like that listed on the wiki? I think it would be a great a great resource since cutting boards are great beginner projects. I’ve had to do a ton of Googling to find stuff out. Would have been great to go to our wiki to find out the information or a link to the information.
If we don’t (and I don’t think we do) feel free to add a page with this info. 
Except this will be my 1st cutting board. I’m trying to learn what unusual woods can be used (other than maple and walnut). I am no expert yet! LOL I think a cool page to have would be a beginners project page with project ideas. Cutting boards could be one of them. I know the new sign off classes make one.
None of us are.Gotta start somewhere, and keeping notes on the wiki that others can build on/borrow upon is AWESOME!
Wouldn’t bitch if you posted up those notes you have scribbled on the post-it in front of you, after googling all that stuff (yep, I’m guessing a bit).
Anyway.
Not really trying to pressure, but seriously, this is how the wiki gets built.
Ebony is not toxic. No commercial avail wood is.
Ebony and Rosewood are allergens, and can cause severe reactions in people, as can many other wood. But this is usually a reaction to the dust. It can be a contact allergen, eye irritant, or pulmonary irritant. This includes many woods, like various types of cedar
Food safe is very murky, with little documented research.
Here are a couple sources listing what is known:
https://www.wood-database.com/wood-articles/wood-allergies-and-toxicity/
Good safety info there, like:
2. Use protective equipment while woodworking: dust mask, goggles or a full-face respirator, and a protective barrier cream on your arms or exposed skin.
http://www.woodbin.com/ref/wood-toxicity-table/
@jmeinel feel free to start create a wiki page for this 
Thanks for correcting my mistake, I did not know that. All i know is that the first time i worked with ebony, I didn’t wear a mask while sanding, had a really bad cough for three days, then when i did some research, two or three sites said that it was toxic. Always a good thing to expand my knowledge.
also @jmeinel i am also in support of that page. Link it here if you do it
Many exotic woods are also sensitizers, which is actually worse than the many irritant woods out there. With a sensitizer, you may not have an initial reaction, but repeated exposure may raise your sensitivity until later (even mild) exposure can trigger an allergic response.
Domestic woods (maple, ash, hickory, oak, osage orange, et al) don’t seem to be sensitizers like some exotics.
Here’s a good list of what to be on the lookout for WRT wood irritants and sensitizers.
FWIW, I’ve become sensitized to creosote-treated wood, so it’s not always the species involved. If I chainsaw creosote posts, I have to cover up or I’ll get a rash from the sawdust.
East Coast Resin is completely food safe after curing and much easier to use to fill an inlay than epoxy.
